WILLIAMS, Helga, (nee Wallraf) (The Word Lady), was born in Halle, Germany October 10, 1939 and passed away on September 6th at the Saanich Peninsula Hospital after a lengthy illness. Helga is survived by her husband, Colin, daughters Nicole and Tonya (Bart), sons Peter and Sascha (Peta), and grandchildren Danielle, Brittney, Cydney, Alysha, and Toby as well as her sister, Hanni (Wolfgang).

A love of travel took Helga around the world and back, always seeking new adventures. She and her family lived in England, Australia, and the United States and, after immigrating to Canada in 1969, Banff, Calgary, Fort McMurray, Vancouver, Salt Spring Island, and Victoria.

A professional photographer and writer (in addition to many articles and columns she was also the author of Wordplay, illustrated by her husband and published by Sono Nis Press), Helga was also a fabulous teacher. Her photography and ESL classes were not just informative, they were also a great deal of fun. A Scrabble champion and founder of the Victoria Scrabble Club, Helga’s knack for knowing just the right word was legendary. Victoria residents enjoyed her CFAX appearances and looked forward to her Wordplay columns in the Times Colonist. Helga’s weekly “International House of Music” broadcasts on CJOK radio in Fort McMurray entertained listeners for several years.

Helga’s sense of humour and love of life will be much missed. A passion for music was a constant in her life and not long after her move to Victoria she became a member of the Gettin’ Higher Choir in Victoria. The choir, the music, and the friendships she developed in this community of song played a central role in her life in recent years.

The family would like to thank all the staff in ECU at the Saanich Peninsula Hospital for their dedication and many kindnesses.

In lieu of flowers, donations, if desired, may be made to the Gettin’ Higher Choir Scholarship Fund – Helga’s Legacy, 1305 Bond Street, Victoria, BC V8S 1C3.

If you knew my mother and would like to visit her online guestbook to leave a comment, here is the link.